Helsinki
Trip Start
Jan 03, 2008
1
38
Trip End
Mar 14, 2008
Helsinki, Finland
Thursday, March 27, 2008
I was determined not to spend any money, I am familiar with how these liners work. I get on for discount and they expect me to pay double the net worth of all the products and services on board. I made sandwiches in my cabin and took my book to bar where I read from my book. Just walking all the decks alone and being outside to see beautiful Sweden drift away into the sunset consumers hours alone. For a small period of time I made it to the top floor where the playstation room was, of course there was all children playing at every flat panel and I sat with the parents as they watched their children play video games. As soon as the first controller opened up, I joined the kids and played some dragon game with a kid and a basketball game later with another. I was just a giant kid, and the kids loved it - the parents were all looking at me strange either because this area was intended for children or a look of envy, I didn´t care either way - we all paid the same to enjoy ourselves on this cruise, so damnit I will enjoy myself.
After I was done `playing´ I caught a dance performance, an India themed show of performers who danced with passion. All the other adults watching this show were all sauced as this point from milking off the bar, and on a boat - this is no good combination; A very rude man elbowed me out of his way as he was carrying 3 drinks back to his seat - honestly I wished instant karma would invoke into his life right now - the ferry tilted slightly to the right as the man elbowed another person in his way spilling all of the drinks another mans head who was just enjoying the performance. I know karma isn´t suppose to be at anyone else´s expense, but I hope that dude felt guilty for being such an ass and learned his lesson.
I woke up just about as soon as I went back to bed - one of the best sleeps I have had in months. Being in a cabin on the bottom layer of the ship with the comforts of swaying and no windows to peek in the light - I heard a buzzer sound 30 minutes before arrival to the harbor in Finland, I packed my bag and off the ship I went, to be stunned at the site of a blizzard. I couldn´t see even 20 feet out from the ship, I couldn´t even see Finland! As I got off, I asked at the service counter availability for a cruise back the following day, there was availability - but for thirty dollars this time around, it all weighed itself out in the end. Again I pre arranged my hostel before my arrival, apparently this accommodation was inside the 1952 Olympic stadium - or at least that is what the address had indicated. I asked a man at the currency exchange counter the best route to the Olympic stadium and he gave me two tram line options but had indicated that they may be at alternative routes right now due to the blizzard, 3 trams already this morning have derailed. He advised taking a cab, but I could bring myself to do that. I waited in the freezing blizzard for over 30 minutes until the next tram came, not on schedule as I figured as much due to the weather. The tram traveled about 400 meters before stopping, with all the snow on the banks, a car parked on the tracks. Everyone got off the tram but me, I had no where to go. I asked someone who was getting of the tram to translate to me what the conductor said, and apparently the conductor was going to now take an alternative route skipping many of the routine stops. Hoping for the best, I stayed on course.
After 40 minutes of squinting out into the snow for any building that could resemble a stadium, I found one. Got out and walked the length of 5 football fields to get to the stadium. Again hoping that this accommodation was actually inside the stadium ( I know, it sounded a bit doubtful to me too.) At the doors of the stadium, the signs were in Finnish, however I did read that in one of the suites was `Stadion Hostel´, what a relief! I walked completely to the back side of the stadium and found the doors to the hostel. I paid my way, made some sandwiches, asked the reception what there is to do in Helsinki and trudged through the snow. I saw snow scrappers, people having snowball fights, and many cars stuck in the roads. I kept walking to the ports and couldn´t see much of anything with the density of snow coming down beside some cool looking buildings and 2 very large cathedrals - one being Russianesque build during the Soviet occupation. To stay warm I found a shopping mall and wandered aimlessly in shops and enjoyed a much too expensive Kebab, I just couldn´t do a sandwich for the 20th consecutive meal any more. According to the guide map that the receptionist circled over of all the tourist hot spots, I went back to the hostel for some hot tea, sandwiches, a hot shower and watched that dvd I bought in Bratislava for 2 dollars.
The following day the snow stopped, before my cruise back to Sweden I took a walk around a nearby lake after my morning coffee and toast. The lake is still partially frozen over from the winter. The day felt like spring but winter was still very much on everyone´s faces. Dressed to the 9´s, and determined everyone was out on the town today and carried about their destinations. I boarded the ferry for my return and stood on the deck as the ferry pulled away from Finland and saw Finland clearly for the first time - It was truly beautiful being pulled away from the land, my visit was short and bitter sweet.
This cruise appeared to be the exact same design as the ship I took over, again placed in the second deck - I had a bunk mate, Dima - a physicist from Russia - Dima offered some great comradery during our stay together and I got to sample some apple jam his mother made from the apple trees in their backyard in Russia. On this cruise, I caught a movie in the movie theater; Jumper - a really horrible movie. And this time, payed what little pocket change I have been saving for a couple of rounds on an arcade shooting game. I watched another dance show and read while in the corner while the live bands were playing and all the business men on the cruise were getting sauced with their associates after the conference on the 1st class deck. Just up ahead to landing in Sweden is all day trains which will arrive in Hamburg Germany at 10pm to be my final destination before my flight out from Frankfurt.
